Gathering The Family
by Floweramon
Summary: How did everyone come to be servants of the selfish Prince Adam?


(Author's Note: Hello everyone! I know I have another Disney fanfic going, but I figured that getting some other ideas out of my head and into writing would help clear my head for the other fanfic. Plus, I've been wanting to write this for a long time. Beauty and the Beast has always been my favorite of the Disney princess stories (though Princess and the Frog is now a big contender), and ever since I saw the stage production I've wanted to write a story based on the servants. Plus I wanted to answer all the little questions that everyone asks about the movie and try to fill the seeming plot holes. So I hope you all enjoy ^_^)

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Taking a deep breath of the salty air, Mrs. Angelica Potts stared blankly out into the ocean. It had been six hours since they started sailing out, and aside from the sound of the ocean and of her daughters chatting, everything had been very quiet. She had tried to knit a scarf to pass the time, but with it almost done her mind began to wander.

She glanced at her husband Reuben, with whom she'd tried to make conversation with earlier but to no avail (he never was much of a talker anyway). He was staring at the floor, and she could tell the hours on water were getting to him. It was strange seeing her usually strong, iron-willed husband in such a state, though since they'd never traveled by boat before it wasn't too surprising. His brown hair was frazzled, and his dark brown eye kept blinking rapidly as he tried to keep a steady resolve.

She looked over at her three girls. All were teenagers, with curvy figures and golden hair like hers. It had previously amazed her that they hadn't been married off by now, but now it somewhat relieved her. She was grateful that at least a few of her children could join her in this new life, and they seemed to be excited. They at least took to learning French rather fast (though most of what they practiced were flirts).

Finally she looked at the only other passenger she knew was heading the same way they were. He was a young brunette man, perhaps in his thirties, and was on the chubby side. He also didn't seem use to boat travel, and looked rather green. He had been engrossed in a book the entire trip, but it'd done nothing to distract him from his motion sickness.

At last he closed the book with a sigh, and Mrs. Potts took this opportunity to break the silence.

"Not use to boats, are you?" she asked politely.

"No, not at all," the man shook his head, rubbing his forehead slightly, "I'm afraid my former position didn't give me much opportunity for travelling overseas."

"Ah, what position did you have?" Mrs. Potts asked.

He cleared his throat a little before straightening up, "Well I was actually being trained alongside my brother to take over my father's position as majordomo of the castle."

"In other words you didn't do anything," one of the girls piped up, causing the other two to giggle.

"Excuse me?" the young man asked indignantly.

"Deanne, you apologize now," Reuben cut through the giggling harshly.

The three girls were instantly silenced. Deanne cast her blue eyes down and mumbled, "Sorry sir."

Reuben looked at the other man, "Please excuse my daughters. They like to talk."

"Yes, I see," he glanced at them; they were back to talking amongst themselves.

"By the way, we haven't introduced outselves," Mrs. Potts smiled at the young man, "I'm Angelica Potts."

"I'm Reuben Potts," Reuben said, then gestured to the girls, "These are my daughters: Deanne, Jasmine, and Camellia."

"Pleasure to meet you," the young man nodded formally at the family, "I'm Ogden Cogsworth."

"Pleased to meet you. So, will you be the majordomo for Prince Adam?" Mrs. Potts asked.

"Yes," Cogsworth nodded slightly, looking out over the ocean, "when His Majesty asked my father which son could be sent for his 'good will package,' so to speak, he picked me."

"I guess I still don't get this," Jasmine, a brown-eyed girl, piped up from the arrangement of crates the sisters had situated themselves, "who exactly are we serving again?"

"I've told you, it's a young prince," Reuben waved a hand in exasperation.

"But I thought the prince was older," Jasmine added.

Mrs. Potts noticed Cogsworth's eyes shift, but he said nothing. She silently pondered over what he wasn't saying.

"You know what I think?" Deanne said in a slow, sly tone, "this prince is in a forest in the middle of nowhere right?"

"Well, not nowhere," Mrs. Potts said.

"And we hadn't heard of this prince before had we?" Deanne pointed out.

"Yeah, I've never heard of Prince Adam," Jasmine agreed.

"What are you implying Deanne?" Reuben gave her a hard look.

"Nothing, just something to think about," Deanne smiled innocently.

"Deanne Hong Potts, I do not want to hear you gossip about the master," Mrs. Potts scolded.

"Master? He's just a kid," Deanne pointed out.

Cogsworth watched the family bickering family. 'So these are my fellow servants?' he thought to himself, 'well, good to know that there are some English people among the staff.'


End file.
